Zechariah saw a horseman in a vision of the night (Zechariah 1:8). The rabbis identified this figure as the prince of Edom — the heavenly guardian angel of the nation that had ruled over Israel longest and hardest. He rode on a red horse. He stood among the myrtle trees. He spoke to the angel of the Lord as if he had standing, as if his kingdom's claim were legitimate.
Rabbi Berachiah read this alongside Amasai's declaration in Chronicles: "We are yours, David, and on your side, son of Jesse" (1 Chronicles 12:18). The spirit clothed Amasai — seized him, moved through him — and he swore loyalty to David at a moment when David was being persecuted. The contrast with Edom's prince is exact: one figure stands in the night vision acting as if he has power; another is clothed with the divine spirit and declares whose side he is really on.
Edom tried to imitate the stars — God's promise to Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars (Genesis 15:5). But stars are Israel's metaphor, not Edom's. The prince of Edom built himself into a fortress, surrounded himself with the imagery of permanence and power, and still he stood in a night vision while the real horsemen awaited God's command. The night is Edom's element. Morning belongs to someone else.
Chapter (55) 56: Prophets. [1] The vision of Obadiah (Obadiah 1). May the memory of the righteous be for a blessing. When Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said (Job 4:1), Rabbi Berachiah said, "Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, exact punishment from Esau in a vision? Rather, it was to teach us how God repays both a hater and a lover according to their deeds. When Job was afflicted, Eliphaz, the firstborn of Esau, was his friend, and Eliphaz was righteous and rebuked Job only in a vision. The verse says, "Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, 'If one ventures a word with you, will you be offended? But who can keep from speaking?'" (Job 4:2). It is like a parable of a man who had two wives, one whose dowry was ten thousand and one whose dowry was four thousand. The one whose dowry was four thousand said to him, "Why don't you treat me with the same respect as your other wife?" He said to her, "Your dowry is four thousand, and your friend's dowry is ten thousand." Similarly, Job said, "Why don't you treat me with the same respect as Abraham?" He said to him, "Have you been tested like Abraham?" He who is tested will be afflicted by what is said to him. And only Abraham was tested, as it says, "God tested Abraham" (Genesis 22:1). He said to them, "But I did not bring in four wreaths." "He was whole-hearted and upright, and he feared God and turned away from evil" (Job 1:1). They said to him, "Abraham was tested with ten, and he had ten wreaths." He was called Ethan, as it says, "A maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite" (Psalms 89:1), and similarly, "The mighty men are foundations of the earth" (Micah 6:2). And why was he called Ethan? Because he strengthened himself to do the will of his Creator. He who believed in God was called Heman, as it says, "And he believed in the Lord" (Genesis 15:6). And why is Eitan called Heman, who strengthened himself to do the will of his Creator, called Heman, because he believed in the Almighty, as it says "And he believed in the Lord" (Genesis 15:6). Abram was originally called Abram, and then the Lord added to his name, and he became Abraham. Why did the Lord add to his name? Because he fulfilled the five books of the Torah even before they were given, as it says "Because Abraham obeyed Me and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws" (Genesis 26:5). Therefore, he is called Abraham. He is also called "Ayit" (Falcon), as it says "One calls from the east a bird of prey" (Isaiah 46:11), referring to the hen that protects her chicks from the wolves and the ravens. Similarly, Abraham risked his life by being thrown into the furnace for his beliefs. He is called "Tzur" (Rock), as it says "Look to the rock from which you were hewn" (Isaiah 51:1). Just as a rock has no [עיים ruins or eyes], so Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac when commanded to do so. He is called "Nasi" (Prince), as it says "For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: 'I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones'" (Isaiah 57:15). He is called "Adon" (Lord), as it says "And he said, 'Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham'" (Genesis 24:27). And if you ask why he was called Adon, was it not because he was his servant? Others also called him Adon, as it says "And we said to my lord" (Genesis 44:19), because he made the Almighty Lord over all of His creatures. He is called "Elohim" (God), as it says "The prince of God" (Genesis 23:6). This is because he made known the fear of the Almighty in his world, as it says "You are God-fearing" (Genesis 22:12). He is called "Navi" (Prophet), as he first revealed the power of the Holy Spirit, as it says "And you return the wife of the man, for he is a prophet" (Genesis 20:7). "And he shall be called a God-fearing man, as it is said, 'Now I know that you are a God-fearing man' (Job 22:12), for he was in awe of the Lord and called a lover, as it is said, 'the seed of Abraham, my friend' (Isaiah 41:8). Behold, ten trials were given to correspond to the ten qualities. Eliphaz said to him, 'Do you possess these qualities? If so, then trouble will come upon you. Behold, you have comforted many' (Job 4:3-4). Those who suffer came to you, and you comforted them. The blind one came and said to you, 'God already knows what I am going to do, for He made me blind from my mother's womb.' And you said to him, 'Do not say that.' And you said to him, 'My son, if you built a house and did not want to make windows, who would have forced you?' You are a linchpin of the Almighty, and He did not do this out of hatred, but to praise you in the future, as it is said, 'Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened' (Isaiah 35:5). "So shall Hashem of Hosts be a protecting wall to the remnant of Israel; to them shall they deliver from captivity and return. And the Passover [Haggadah] says, 'Do not say thus, "If I were there, I would have built pillars for myself." Whoever says this, God praises him for the future, as it says, "Then shall leap as a hart the lame" (Zechariah 8:4). And also, the [Haggadah] says, 'The deaf-mute one says to him, "If you were a skilled craftsman and did not want to make ears for your friend, who could compel you?" Thus, God praises you for the World-to-Come, as it says, "And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped" (Isaiah 35:5). You comforted all who were afflicted, "The tottering one will be restored by you" (Job 4:4). And now, when afflictions have befallen you, you are confused, as it says, "Now it shall come upon you and you will be broken" (Job 4:5). "Is not your fear of God your confidence?" (Job 4:6) Because you said, "I am pure and upright," if not for the fact that God acted towards you as one does towards a human being, and brought the Flood, your righteousness would have been before you. Remember now, who being innocent has ever perished?" (Job 4:7). Eliphaz said to Job, "Even if Abraham the righteous had been in your place, he would not have been spared," as it says, "I am the Lord Who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans" (Genesis 15:7). "If you are righteous, He will have mercy upon you, for He does not destroy the righteous, as it is said, 'Remember now, who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off?' (Job 4:7-8). When I saw those who plow iniquity (Job 4:8), I envied the wicked who were at ease, who sow mischief and reap calamity. But lo, the day comes, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. (Malachi 3:19) He who roars like a lion and the voice of the fierce lion is heard no more (Isaiah 31:4), it was said to him, 'Israel will eventually sin before the Lord who is called a lion, as it is said, 'The lion has roared, who will not fear?' (Amos 3:8). He elevated them to Nebuchadnezzar who was called a lion, as it is said, 'The lion has come up from his thicket' (Jeremiah 4:7), and in the month of Tammuz, whose sign is the lion, he destroyed the Temple, which is called the lion, as it is said, 'Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt' (Isaiah 29:1), and he who rules over Judah is called a lion, as it is said, 'Judah is a lion's whelp' (Genesis 49:9). Here, he explains five names, all of them called a lion. The roar of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion, and the two young lions have been silenced. The lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered. (Job 4:10-11) Elihu said to him, 'It was not I who spoke, but the Spirit of God who dwells in me' (Job 32:8). And how were all of these proven in a vision? As it is said in the visions of the night (Job 4:13), the Lord said to him, 'You have proved My servant Job in a vision; even so I will send a prophet who will prove and punish the house of your father in a vision, as it is said, 'The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom: We have heard tidings from the Lord, and a messenger has been sent among the nations: "Rise up! Let us rise against her for battle!" (Obadiah 1:1) Why should you serve us? Even I will unsheathe My sword and come down upon him, as it is said, 'For My sword has drunk its fill in the heavens; behold, it descends for judgment upon Edom, upon the people I have doomed to destruction' (Isaiah 34:5).
